At the Top of Your Game
If you spend the work week moving from your spot behind a desk to your spot on your sofa and then expect to throw yourself full-throttle into activity on the weekends, you’re setting yourself up for failure—and injury.
That’s the message physiatrist Joseph Rempson, MD, of Associates in Rehabilitation Medicine at Overlook and Morristown Memorial hospitals, tries to convey to his patients. “There are more issues and specialties typically attached to women’s sports than to men’s,” he says, citing things like stress fractures and ACL injuries, but the biggest difference overall is between sedentary parents and more active parents. “The desk-bound parent on the weekend goes out to play with their kids, play in a soccer game or pick-up basketball game, or go skiing. They are not in the best of shape, so acute knee injuries, back injuries, and shoulder injuries are not uncommon in this population.”
To avoid the cycle of inactivity, injury, more inactivity, more injury, Rempson stresses the importance of finding time for physical activity at least three times a week, for at least 20 to 30 minutes a day. “You have to do something during the workweek,” he says. “It’s just not enough for you to pop out on a field and expect your body to perform. If you’re sitting behind a desk all day, is your body used to cutting left, cutting right, stopping abruptly? No! Your body has to learn movement from a neuromuscular standpoint. To do that, you have to remain consistently active.”
To that end, Rempson suggests that whatever activity you enjoy on a weekend, you find something to mimic that activity during the week. For example, someone who plays soccer might try a fitness class or DVD. “They both get you moving all over the place,” he points out. “If you play basketball on the weekend, during the week try shooting some lay-ups and taking some jump shots until you sweat. If you play golf, do a little running during the week.”
Among people who are consistently active and dedicated to a single sport (as with runners), Rempson says it’s typical to see overuse injuries (such conditions as patellofemoral syndrome, plantar fasciitis, and Achilles tendinitis)—problems that plague specific body parts because those parts are being taxed in the same way over and over again. “It’s a lot like smoking,” he says. “Patients are hurting. They know they should stop what they’re doing—their knee has broken down, their foot has broken down—and they tell me, ‘I know, but I can’t stop.’ ” With these athletes, Rempson says he recognizes that he can’t get them to stop being active—nor would he want to—so he tries to direct them to other activities. He may suggest that runners cut their mileage, for example, or swim on some days so they’re not constantly engaged in pounding, load-bearing activities. “I tell patients, ‘I know you love what you do, but if you keep doing this the way you do, eventually you’ll be forced to stop.’ ”
How to Help Yourself
In addition to staying active, Rempson says that there are benefits to core training, and practicing proper hydration, nutrition, and exercise techniques. “What you eat before, during, and after your workout can make a difference,” he says, explaining that when you work out, your body needs carbohydrates for energy and protein to rebuild cells. Whey proteins and glucose are ideal; whey and glucose are rapidly transported into cells providing building blocks and energy. “If you eat a fast-acting protein and glucose just before you exercise, at times during your workout, and in the first 30 minutes following a workout, many studies support the idea that this pattern increases athletic performance, recovery, and overall stamina.” A study of military recruits shows it even decreased their chance of getting sick, he adds.
Coupling your regular aerobic exercise regimen (activities like running and biking) with strength training also can protect you from injury. “When you strengthen your core muscles,” Rempson says, referring to the muscles in the abdomen, back, and pelvis, “you see that it actually makes you more efficient in your activity. For a runner or a cyclist, strengthening the core and allowing the body time to repair itself can actually enhance performance.
“When athletes see that suddenly they’re a little stronger or a little faster, the message clicks,” he continues. “The appropriate rest and strength are not only beneficial with respect to improving performance, but also reduce injury.”
For a referral to a Sports Medicine specialist, call (866) 516-8355.
